Hanover Kickers finding their footing in MMSL Division 1

The Hanover Kickers are establishing themselves as a mid-table team in the Manitoba Major Soccer League’s Division 1.

The Kickers nabbed a win and a draw this week, defeating basement-dwellers Scorpions FC 3-0 July 2 and battling Grant Park Sporting Club to a 3-3 stalemate July 6.

Those results have the Hanover Soccer Club’s top team in the MMSL pyramid sitting with eight points across five games this season in the eight-team Division 1. The MMSL’s top division is one step higher, the premier division.

The Kickers made short work of Scorpions FC, as the visitors arrived in Steinbach without a full 11 players to start the match. Hanover was able to nab an early goal before any late arrivals could take to the pitch and rode out a comfortable win from there, keeping a clean sheet.

There was much more dramatics Monday night, as the Kickers took a 1-0 and 2-1 lead, only for Grant Park to sneak in a 3-2 goal before a final strike from the Kickers gave both teams a point in the standings.

Jaden Giesbrcht, who scored with the last kick of the match against Scorpions, picked up right where he left off, chasing down a clearance after a set piece, dancing around the last defender and calmly slipping the ball past the charging keeper.

Grant Park tied the game after recycling possession following a corner kick, but soon after one of their defenders was whistled for handling the ball in their own box, with captain Noah Froese converting on a perfect penalty to restore the one goal lead.

Anther missed opportunity to clear the ball was the difference on the 3-2 Grant Park goal, with the Kickers immediately taking control of the game in search of the equalizer.

Mitch Martens would find it for the home side, after a pass from Froese. Martens run was extremely close to being called offside, but with no linesman in attendance, the referee kept his whistle silent, with Martens making the most of his one-on-one with the goaltender.

The Kickers will next be in Action July 17 at the Steinbach Soccer Park when they play Bonivital 2 in a replay of a match cancelled due to thunderstorms. Hanover’s 1-0 lead they took early in that match will be erased when the two teams resume hostilities.